AFC East
New England Patriots - Borderline-superstar quarterback, a loaded coaching staff, and 2025 success
We all saw just how successful the New England Patriots were in the 2025 season. With a great quarterback, top-notch coaching staff, and recent history, it's absolutely possible for the Patriots to begin a bit of a Super Bowl window here. The roster is plenty good enough for another playoff berth, even with the schedule getting tougher.
Buffalo Bills - Playoffs have been the bare minimum since the 2019 season
For the Buffalo Bills, the regular season is almost a formality at this point. The Bills have been to the playoffs each year since 2019 and have won double-digit games each year during that time as well.
Miami Dolphins - Possibility of a quick defensive turnaround and Malik Willis being the next breakout quarterback
New Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley, in his two years as the Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator, ranked 6th and 11th in points allowed per game, sparking a very quick turnaround. There is a non-zero chance of the Dolphins defense having a bit of a turnaround in 2026, and there is also a non-zero chance that newly-signed Malik Willis could become the NFL next's breakout quarterback in the recent mold of Baker Mayfield/Sam Darnold/Daniel Jones, as he does have all the talent.
New York Jets - Underrated offensive talent and new faces on defense
The New York Jets sport a youthful, quality offensive line, and young weapons like Breece Hall, Garrett Wilson, rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq, and others. On paper, this offense is good enough to make the playoffs if Geno Smith is even average, and the defense also saw some notable new additions in the offseason that could lead to overall improvement.
AFC West
Denver Broncos - Top-3 roster, coaching staff, and blossoming quarterback
The Denver Broncos have won 24 regular season games over the past two seasons and have made the playoffs each year, notably breaking out with a 14-win season in 2025. With one of the best roster and coaching staff combinations in the NFL, it's almost hard to see how the Broncos don't make the playoffs.
Los Angeles Chargers - Jim Harbaugh's coaching history and recent success
Including his brief head coaching stint with the San Francisco 49ers, Jim Harbaugh has coached six years in the NFL. In five of those years, his teams have won double-digit games and made the playoffs. The Los Angeles Chargers have gone 11-6 in both years of the Harbaugh era, clinching playoff berths both times. The track record of success is notable and should continue into 2026.
Kansas City Chiefs - Addition of Kenneth Walker III could be enough for the offense to get back on track
The Kansas City Chiefs just have not been able to run the ball well on offense for years now. With the addition of Kenneth Walker III, who is at least capable, fielding a slightly-above-average running game would be plenty for this offense to finally get back on track.
Las Vegas Raiders - Kirk Cousins could still have enough gas left in the tank + offseason defensive additions
What if Kirk Cousins is still good? While not that special, over the past three seasons, Cousins owns a 16-14 record with 46 touchdowns and 26 interceptions, along with a 92.2 passer rating. This averages out to be a 9-8 record over a 17-game season with 24 touchdown passes.
Cousins is obviously not nearly the player he once was, but the last three seasons have still been semi-efficient, and with the Las Vegas Raiders having Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers on offense, coupled with a defense infused with new talent, Vegas could be frisky.
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